The Tower, Poppies and WWI Remembrance...

A couple of weeks ago I went to visit the poppies at the Tower of London - it was both stunning and humbling to think that each one represented a life given in WWI (and that was before the installation was even completed!) I am so glad I bought one ages ago as they are sold out now and I'm very much looking forward to having it in my new creative space when it's finished.

During half term my son was given the task of making something for his World War I topic homework.  One of the suggestions was to make a poppy and, as I'd made loads a couple of years ago after writing the crochet poppy post, it was an obvious one to pick (even his teacher suggested I would do it with him!)  So, while G made a mock up of a trench with soldiers for a photo based project I had a think about how we could do a different sort of poppy this time.  I remembered that he had used some foam clay earlier in the year for another project and decided we would make our own 'clay' poppies as a sort of tribute to the Tower poppies. We made several in both foam clay and silk clay which we bought from a lovely little craft shop called 'All The Pretty Things'....

We made them into brooches & keyrings and G took them to school on the Monday.  Later that day he came home with... an 'order' list for around 30 (!) ...so you can guess what we spent the next few evenings doing...

..they were free on promise of making a donation so at least it should've raised a good bit for Poppy Appeal :-)

I also bought some gorgeous 'Milly' 100% wool while I was in the shop so I could have a go at 'super sizing' the crochet poppy pattern which turned out like this...

I used a chunky 10mm crochet hook... this pic is to give you an idea of scale

I still get requests to make those little crochet poppies and made several new patterns for a Simply Homemade magazine feature  (one is now a free pattern on their blog here) However, I also felt I should do a new crochet poppy project for the Centenary and wrote a pattern for this 'Remembrance Style Poppy'...

I used a 4mm crochet hook, some red cotton DK - you'll also need a button, scissors and a needle.

Begin with a magic circle and make 2ch into it...

Then make 13dc into the circle...

Join with a ss then make 2ch...

Make 2tr into that first dc...

then make 3dtr into the next dc...

3ttr into the next dc..

3dtr into the next dc...

Finally, 2tr plus 2 ch into the next dc and ss to the next dc. That's the first 'petal' done.

Start the second petal with 2ch, 2tr in next dc...

followed by 3dtr in next dc...

3ttr in nect dc...

3qtr in next dc...

3ttr in nect dc...

3dtr in nect dc...

2tr plus 1ch in nect dc...

Leave last dc empty (it kind of helps to define the petal shape). Finish off and pull the thread end to close the middle circle. Sew in the ends at the back for neatness.

Find a suitable button and sew it on with black thread.  Add a pin at the back.

The pattern is free for you to use for personal use but please do make a donation to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in return.

Lest we forget.

All pictures and text (c) Addicted to Making 2014